odessa.web2ua.com
Constantinople can not decide on revoking the anathema imposed on the leaders of the Ukrainian schismatics, head of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) Metropolitan Hilarion says. According to him, the Patriarchate of Constantinople grossly violates the Orthodox canons, TASS reports.
Only that church which imposed anathema has the right to cancel it, the clergyman explains.
He recalls that all the Orthodox Church Bishops dispose equal rights. Moreover, there are Archbishops. The patriarch of Constantinople is one of them as Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine Empire in ancient time. However, this does not empower it with any additional rights and does not allow to act like in the Roman Catholic Church where the pope can individually decide on such issues.
Metropolitan Hilarion is confident that this is a complex and contradictory situation, which split the church world, has developed under the influence of political motives.
The Patriarch of Constantinople became dependent on political forces that are seeking to further development of the conflict between Kiev and Moscow and aspire to weaken Russia's influence in Ukraine.
According to Russkiy Mir, on October 11 the Constantinople Patriarchate Synod declared the rehabilitation of the Ukrainian schismatic church leaders. In addition, it abolished the decision taken in the 17th century to transfer Kiev Metropolitanate to the Moscow Patriarchate. Also during the meeting, the Synod announced the start of preparation to create an autocephalous church in Ukraine.
Russkiy Mir
